Education

The first expression of the mission entrusted to our congregation was that of education, a comprehensive education that aimed at the full development of the human person.

Since our foundation in 1843, many schools and other educational institutions have been established, first in Quebec, then on three continents. We have always been guided by the spirituality of welcome and presence to the other that characterized our foundress.

A focus on children in need

Marie-Rose Durocher dreamed the existence of a community of teaching religious who would establish small convents in each parish, where young people — rich as well as poor — would receive a first class education.

She always had a special concern for children in great need; revenue from the boarding schools helped keep the adjacent public schools open.

A diversity of institutions

Throughout the years, we have focused our energies in responding to needs of the various communities in which we live and minister. We have achieved this through a variety of institutions: boarding schools, countryside schoolhouses, public schools and specialized schools such as kindergartens, teacher training colleges, regional domestic science schools, schools of music, commercial training schools, art studios for painting and drawing, as well as university education.

Today, our congregation still has several educational institutions in the United States, Lesotho and Manitoba. In Quebec, our schools have become secular and private corporations that continue to draw inspiration from our charism.

List of schools

South Africa (1)

Marie Rose Pre-School

Qwa-Qwa, South Africa

 

United States (9)

Academy of the Holy Names

Albany, New York, United States

Academy of the Holy Names

Tampa, Florida, United States

Holy Names Academy

Seattle, Washington, United States

Holy Names High School

Oakland, California, United States

Ramona Convent Secondary School

Alhambra, California, United States

St. Mary’s Academy

Portland, Oregon, United States

Heritage University

Toppenish, Washington, United States

Holy Names University

Oakland, California, United States

Marylhurst University

Marylhurst, Oregon, United States (closed in 2018 )

 

Lesotho (11)

Little Flower Pre-School and Primary School

Kolonyama, Leribe, Lesotho

Maryland Primary School

Maryland, Leribe, Lesotho

St. Ambrose Pre-School and Primary School

Mazenod, Maseru, Lesotho

St. Bernadette’s Primary School

Maseru, Maseru, Lesotho

St. Rose Primary School

Peka, Leribe, Lesotho

Holy Names High School

Bela Bela, Leribe, Lesotho

Mabathoana, High School

Maseru, Maseru, Lesotho

Mazenod High School

Mazenod, Maseru, Lesotho

Maryland High School

Maryland, Leribe, Lesotho

Sisters of the Holy Names Computer College

Mazenod, Maseru, Lesotho

Sisters of the Holy Names Computer College

Peka, Leribe, Lesotho

 

Manitoba (1)

St. Mary’s Academy

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

 

Quebec (4)

Externat Mont-Jésus-Marie

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Pensionnat du Saint-Nom-de-Marie

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Collège Durocher Saint-Lambert

Saint-Lambert, Quebec, Canada

École de musique Vincent-d’Indy

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

A renewed approach in our apostolic undertakings

Over the years, the evolution of societies and cultures required significant changes to school structures. The Second Vatican Council of the 1960s called for a reading of “the signs of the times” and a renewed approach in our apostolic orientations, as we sought to discover anew the initial inspiration of our foundress. In this reflection we heard the call to expand our ministries beyond the school setting. The concept of education broadened and was expressed as “liberating action” and “the full development of the person,” youth and adult alike.

Our fields of action diversified to meet a variety of needs: pastoral ministry in schools, parishes and dioceses, liturgy, catechetics, spiritual and psychological accompaniment and educational centres for spirituality and faith development. All these ministries give witness to the complementarity of two main aspects of our charism, Faith and Justice.